6 Best Black Friday Tips – Top Best Secure Ways For Online Shopping

Secure ways for online shopping

According to a report by Statista, e-commerce losses to online payment fraud were estimated at 20 billion U.S. dollars globally in 2021 and 41 billion U.S. dollars globally in 2022. The figure is expected to grow further to 48 billion U.S. dollars by 2023. These figures are very shocking how people are losing money in online shopping scams on a regular basis worldwide. The risk associated with online payment fraud is real and the reality is that these fraudsters are constantly developing tactics that are hard to detect. That’s why we posted this article for you after doing comprehensive research where you will find everything you should need to know about how you can avoid being a victim of online shopping scams.

We’ve breakdown our research into 7 important steps where you will find how to check the legitimacy of a website where you can make online payment secure. So, Make sure you are following the steps before you shop online this Black Friday.

1. Make sure your browser is updated

Always use an updated browser when you are doing online shopping because browsers regularly updated their phishing filters that can warn you if you’re about to enter a potentially malicious website. Web browsers have many security features that can prevent online shopping scams including an encryption system. The information you send and receive while online shopping the data is encrypted which is making tough for anyone to get your information that’s why it is important to update your browser so you can get the maximum benefits of it. Google Chrome browsers can automatically update your browser’s security whenever the update the available but if you are using any other browsers then you have to manually update it. Scammers use malware ads technique to get your credit card payment details so the latest updated browsers can block these types of ads. It is important to stay alert against the latest scam techniques and protect your personal and financial information.

2. Avoid Online Shopping when using Public Wifi Networks

Online Shopping is a convenient way to make purchases and its popularity got high after the Covid-19 pandemic but it is important to be aware of which risks are involved in it. If you are making purchases using public Wifi network then your online payment information might be at risk of data leaks. Public Wifi networks are generally unsecured, anyone who knows how to use some tools can access your devices and theft your data. Cybercriminals can get your login credentials and online payment details with the help of a “man in the middle” attack. If you notice any unusual activity then immediately inform your bank and change your passwords. Everyone should avoid using unsecured public Wifi networks but if it is very important for you to use it then you should connect to NordVPN first so it will handle your security otherwise you are going to make a big mistake.

3. Always use strong passwords

Guessing method is a technique that cybercriminals usually try to do to access accounts using user’s personal information which includes their name or date of birth. Many people did this mistake by using weak passwords so cybercriminals get access to their accounts easily. Many automated tools are available online which can break weak passwords but if you always use strong passwords containing uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols then your account will be protected and no one can guess it. If it is not easy for you to learn hard passwords then you can also use NordPass which is an application used to save passwords.

4. Use Virtual credit cards and get away from using your credit and debit cards

A virtual credit card is an anonymous card number that’s only generated specifically for a single transaction. It is best to use for online purchases because if anyone gets this number then it is useless for them. You have to top up your virtual credit card before making an online payment. You can set up limits on your virtual credit cards like spending limits and the number of transactions you want to make so this can make your debit and credit card information secure. If you are afraid about overspending and want to keep a record of your online purchases then it is also a good option for you.

5. Always verify that you are shopping from an authentic online store

There are a lot of fake websites available online where you make online purchases but you don’t get your product. This fraudulent activity is very common so you always have to check the website’s authenticity to avoid these scams. Do your research online by checking their social media pages and reviews from other people if they buy anything from their website. Only shop from a website if you got trusted signals like a prefix in the URL should be “https” which means that your information will be encrypted if you provide any information to that website and if you feel any doubt then don’t shop from those websites.

6. Don’t Shop Online from any unknown links

Avoid clicking on unknown links that you receive from anywhere like emails or messages. These links might contain malware or maybe show you a fake website that will look like an original one so if you make online purchases there then your payment information will be leaked which will lead you to financial loss that’s why always take precautions against offers or discounts that seem too good. You should connect to NordVPN first if it is necessary for you to check what it is in this link so it will make you anonymous and you can visit that link securely.

Conclusion

These 6 steps are very important and peoples are not aware of these things that’s why a number of scams increasing every year globally from online payment fraud but after following these secure ways for online shopping then no one is able to trick you. If you always shop online from an authentic store and be careful about what information you are sharing so you can protect yourself from being a victim of online scams. You can also use NordVPN before visiting any websites so it will encrypt your traffic and you can shop online with confidence without any worry about your data leaks.